THE SOURCE OF RESISTANCE AND THE INHERITANCE OF REACTION TO 12 PHYSIOLOGIC RACES OF STEM RUST, PUCCINIA GRAMINIS AVENAE (ERIKSS. AND HENN.)

Resistance to 12 races of oat stem rust was unexpectedly obtained from three crosses, Hajira–Jostrain, Hajira–Richland, and Hajira–Banner, between the years 1932 and 1940. Recent investigations have shown that the Hajira parent was the source of this resistance, as 10% of plants selected from this variety were found to be highly resistant. Inheritance studies have shown that, in some crosses involving this source of resistance, two main genes are involved and in others only a single main gene. A probable explanation is that the highly resistant plants in Hajira may have differed genetically. The studies also reveal that the Hajira type of resistance to race 8, either in the seedling or adult stage, is indicative of resistance to the 12 races that occur in Canada and the United States.